Episode 43: The Graflex-osity Podcast

In a first for the Camerosity Podcast, we finally dive into the wonderful world of Graflex press cameras and other 4×5 cameras. If you thought Camerosity only meant 35mm, medium format roll film, and subminis, this is the episode that will shake up everything you know about us!

For episode 43, we had a packed house (although there was one significant omission). Joining the gang on this show was first time caller, and owner of Graflex Parts, Graham Burnett, along with Andy Pham, Daniel Belmes, Eric J, Greg McCreash, Howard Sandler, Jess Hobbs, Marcy Merrill, Mario Piper and his wife Julianne Piper, Mark Faulkner, Nick Marshall, Patrick Casey, and Robert Rotoloni.

Together, topics ranging far and wide from the history of Folmer & Schwing, the company who made the first Graphic cameras, to differences between all the models, where to start if you’ve never shot a Graflex before, development tips, and all sorts of information that people who love these cameras want you to know. In addition to discussions about Graflex press cameras, we also get into a few other 4×5 cameras like the Busch Pressman and Burke & James versions. Greg McCreash is back to talk about his massive Combat Graflex, and we even touch upon some of the 35mm Graflex cameras.

If you’ve ever wanted to know something about these wonderful cameras, this is the episode you’ll want to hear!

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you! We would love to hear from more listeners, especially those who are new to shooting film or collecting cameras. Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show. We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com. We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

The guys and I have had a great time talking about Graflex, Argus, Contax, and Pentax, and for our next episode, we are going to divert a bit from our regular format and just discuss what we’ve been working on lately and some topics we’d like to share with you all, so there won’t be any option to dial in for the next episode. Maybe we’ll still have a special guest for you, maybe not! You’ll just need to stay tuned for that one.

We will resume our normal call in for episode 45 though, which we will record on Monday, March 20th. We don’t yet know what we’ll talk about then, but be sure to stay tuned for the official announcement!

This Week’s Episode

How Paul Ended Up with a Closet Full of Graflex / The Baffling Array of Variations
Anthony Takes the Leap Into Press Cameras with His Graflex Super Graphic
Differences Between the Speed vs Crown Graphic
Graham Burnett of graflexparts.com Dives Deep into the Graflex Lineage
What Does Graflex Parts Do for the Graflex Community?
Folmer & Schwing and the Bicycle Graphic
The Complicated Rise of the Single Lens Reflex Graflex
The Many Sizes of Film for Graflex / The Evolution of Graflex Film Backs
Eric J and his F&S / Bicycle Camera Bicycle Touring with Graflex
Andy Pham and Concert Photography with his AutoGraflex 5×7 SLR
Luis Mendez and Graflex Street Portraits in NYC
Keeping Pre-war Graflex Cameras Up and Running
Howard and his Graflex Monorail Graphic View Camera
Julianne Piper, Shooting Paper Negatives in an Array of Graflex Cameras
The LomoGraflock vs Polaroid backs
Advantages of Crown vs Speed Graphic as a First Graflex
Demystifying Graflex Lens Options
Using Projector and Brass Lenses with Graflex
Graflex at War / The Post-war Decline of Graflex
Other Press Cameras / Busch Pressman / Burke & James Press Cameras
Nick Marshall and His Series D 3×4 / Shooting Speed Graphic with Instax
Developing 4×5 at Home
Jess Hobbs and Adventures with 4×5 with Her Intrepid / 4×5 Film Options
Daniel B and Shooting a Graflex Super D / Enlarging Graflex as 11×14 Large Format
Greg McCreash and the Combat Graflex
Mario Asks is Graflex is Making a Resurgence? / What is the Appeal of Shooting Large Format?
Eric Mathy on the Appeal of Large Format to the Tinkerer and the Artist
Mike Eckman and the Graflex Graphic 35 Jet

Show Notes

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at [email protected].

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Camerosity Twitter – https://twitter.com/CamerosityPod

Graham Burnett, Graflex Parts – https://www.graflexparts.com/

Jess Hobbs – https://www.youtube.com/c/JessHobbs

Erik Mathy, All Through a Lens – https://allthroughalens.com/

Theo Panagopoulos – https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt – https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue – https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Camerosity can also be heard on the following services:

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@camerositypodcast

Google – https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NhbWVyb3NpdHkvZmVlZC54bWw